# Dispersion forces in inhomogeneous planarly layered media: A one-dimensional model for effective polarisabilities

## TL;DR

This paper models dispersion forces in layered media using a one-dimensional approach to understand how continuous dielectric profiles influence effective polarizabilities, extending beyond idealized boundary conditions.

## Contribution

It introduces a one-dimensional model to analyze dispersion forces in inhomogeneous layered media, accounting for realistic dielectric profiles beyond simple boundary conditions.

## Key findings

- Effective polarizabilities depend on the dielectric profile.
- Continuous dielectric variations modify dispersion interactions.
- The model provides insights into realistic environmental effects.

## Abstract

Dispersion forces such as van der Waals forces between two microscopic particles, the Casimir--Polder forces between a particle and a macroscopic object or the Casimir force between two dielectric objects are well studied in vacuum. However, in realistic situations the interacting objects are often embedded in an environmental medium. Such a solvent influences the induced dipole interaction. With the framework of macroscopic quantum electrodynamics, these interactions are mediated via an exchange of virtual photons. Via this method the impact of a homogeneous solvent medium can be expressed as local-field corrections leading to excess polarisabilities which have previously been derived for hard boundary conditions. In order to develop a more realistic description, we investigate on a one-dimensional analog system illustrating the influence of a continuous dielectric profile.